March 2017 - Behind the Doors at No 10
Members of the Horndean & District U3A met for their regular monthly meeting on Friday 3rd March 2017 at Merchistoun Hall. They enjoyed a talk "Behind the doors at No 10 and Life Behind the Berlin Wall" by Christine Ames.
Christine started her talk by telling Members about herself. She lives in the New Forest where she and her husband run a bed and breakfast business and also they have a 21 bedroom hotel in Lyndhurst. She has also been a registrar for marriages and civil partnerships. Christine was from a family of four and received a good education at a Secretarial Business College, which was extremely formal - called by surnames - where she received a diploma for best student. Unknowingly this guaranteed a good job. At 17 she was interviewed for a secretarial job at No 10.
For those of us who thought we would hear lots of 'interesting' gossip about life behind the doors of No 10 we were very soon disappointed! Christine explained that she signed the official secrets act in 1968, which lasts a lifetime, so no gossip possible.
Christine was the youngest permanent staff member at No 10 Downing Street when she started in 1967. She underwent six weeks, by the security people, of positive vetting which she passed and was given the job of personal secretary to the Prime Minister's Secretary for Appointments, Sir John Hewitt (honours, museums, personal awards, fabric of No 10 and of Chequers etc). They were not allowed to express a political opinion.
Christine's office was above the front door at No 10 where she had a bird's eye view of who was coming and going! She worked for Harold Wilson who was a charming person & Ted Heath who was a genuinely nice person. Other characters were George Brown & Barbara Castle. The permanent staff acted as hostesses to President Nixon, 3 astronauts etc and considered it a privilege. In those days one could walk down Downing Street and she never had or needed a security pass and always entered by the front door. Mary Wilson was a delightful woman, quiet and artistic however Marcia Williams (Lady Faulkner) ruled the roost. They were all terrified of her.
No 10 stands on an ancient site. In 1530, the Palace of White Hall was built which was an official residence. This building was destroyed by fire and at the end of the 17th century was rebuilt by a Mr Downing. Inside it covers five floors, has offices in the basement, corridor to cabinet room. Staircase all the way up with the famous photographs of previous PM's displayed on the walls. There are 3 state drawing rooms and 2 state dining rooms.
There was a change of government on the 19th June. Harold & Mary packed up and said goodbye to staff by 11 a.m. the following day and left by the back door where their removal van was waiting. By mid-day, the permanent staff welcomed new PM Ted Heath and his grand piano arrived soon after. His passions were his music and sailing but he was not happy or successful as PM.
At Christine's farewell party at Chequers in 1973 she was presented with a silver dish and Ted Heath invited her to walk in the garden where he dug up a small sapling beech tree which is now a 40 ft tree in her garden in the New Forest. She left No 10 following her marriage to a Grenadier Guards Officer which took her to several postings. Her daughter was born in Hanover and in 1977 and they were posted to Soltau.
Life was good for them in the West of Berlin but through the "Wall" it was very different. Army Officers were permitted to go through Check Point Charlie but were advised to go to the best restaurants, to choose the most expensive items on the menu and pay with western Deutschmarks. Through the Wall it was dark with no sounds. Cars were very old.
Christine recounted the event of the incredible light aircraft escape by a newly qualified pilot and his brother in 1978. The pilot had gone solo just the day before but had planned his escape over many years. He landed on their runway at Soltau and kissed the ground when he arrived. During her time there, there were many escape attempts and 100's of East German deaths.
At the end of her talk, Christine was asked several questions and she was much appreciated with a show of hands and lots of chatting with members over tea and biscuits!
Diane Stoner
Speaker Coordinator